Sectional top knockdown table



April 18, 1950 P. Y. JOHNSON 2,504,531

sEcTIoNAL .Top xNocxnowN- TABLE Filed Jan. 23. 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 18, 1950 P. Y. JOHNSON 2,504,53

SECTIONAL TOP KNOCKDOWN TABLE Paal K c/azzswz Patented Apr. i8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL TDP KNOGKLDOWNn TABLE Paul Y. Johnson, Springfield, Mass.

Application .ianuary 23, 1946, Serial No. 642,848-

2 claims. l

This invention relates to a recreation table.

The invention is especially concerned with a table for use in the` playing of games, such as ping-pong and the like, but is equally adaptable for use as a lunch table at picnics or similar outings.

Tables for such uses Should, for convenience in transportation and storage thereof, be of a foldableor knock-.down type.

While various forms oftables have heretofore been proposed or used for the. above noted pur-` poses, they have failed to meet the maximum requirementsosuch formof tables, which requirements are that they be capable of ready assembly and disassembly while 'being sturdy, particularly after a long period of use, when assembled.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of a recreation table which fully satisfies the above notedv requirements.

A further and more speciiic object of the invention is the provision of a recreation table which includes a minimum number of table top supporting elements` having cooperating interfltting portions, whereby the table is capable of being readily assembled and disassembled in the absence of pivotal connections common in tables of this type and which render such Vtables unstable, as distinguished from the sturdiness of the present table when assembled.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a recreation table including a pair of supports, each having downwardly divergent legs for maximum stability, a plurality of slats having a readily removable intertting connection with the supports, and a top supported by gravity on the slats.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a table of the above noted character which provides unobstructed foot room when Walking around same as in the playing of games.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a table of the above noted character which is capable of being constructed in a relatively short period of time and at relatively low cost.

With the above objects in View as well as others that will present themselves in the course of the following disclosure, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of same,

and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the table in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the table, partly Cil Fig. 4 is a top planview of the slat illustrated= in'Fig; 3..

Fig. 5k isan end elevational view` on a-substantially enlarged scale and showing certain ele` ments in section.

Eig. Gis an end viewrof oneof` the supports.

Fig. 'I is` a sectional viewin theplane of lineI Fig. 8v isa sectional view inthe plane of linee The: improved table in accordance with the present'iinventionincludesa pair of similar supI` ports Ill, a plurality ifslats I I, preferably three' in number, and aitabl'e top. I 2'.'

Thesupports IIB, asY shown iny Figs. 5to 8, each includes ahorizontalrbar Iiltoy which is secured, asby screws I5,` the upperendso legs I4.

bar, and the `legs of each pair` diverge at a substantiai angle. toward their lower` surface-engaging.l ends.-

The legs Ill-oi eachf pair thereof have connected thereto immediately Vbelow the lbar I3 astrength ening platetl.: by means of 'screws Hand, asindicated in Figs. 5 and 8, the legs are disposed inwardly of the opposite ends of the bar.

A pair of relatively small elongated plates I8 is secured to each side of the bar I 3 intermediate the ends thereof, and each pair of plates has their adjacent vertical edges spaced a distance apart substantially equal to the Width of the slats II for a purpose later to appear.

A similar plate 20 is secured to each side of the bar at each end thereof, such plates as well as plates I8 preferably being secured to the bar by means of screws I9. The inner vertical edges of plates 20 are spaced from the adjacent vertical edges of legs I4 a distance substantially equal to the width of slats I I for a purpose presently to be described.

As is more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4,` the slats II each includes an elongated member 2l having ends attractively cut as at 22, and the upper edges of the slats are preferably of the length of the table top I2.

Each slat is provided in its lower edge with a pair of symmetrically disposed rectangular notches 23 whose opposed sides are spaced a, distance equal to the width of the bar I3, and each slat is further provided intermediate its ends and at its upper edge with a shallow notch 24.

There area pair of' such legsadjacent each end of the" The table top I2 includes a pair of similar sections 25 which are pivotally connected at adjacent edges by a plurality of hinges 26.

As will be seen, the complete table comprises but siX individual parts, two supports Ill, three slats II, and one table top I2, whereby the act of assembly and disassembly is substantially simplied.

The table is assembled from the six parts by iirst setting up the two supports I0, then placing the slats II on the bars I3 of the supports at right angles thereto and with the notches 23 alined with the bars. The slats are then pushed downwardly, effecting engagement of opposed sides of the notches with corresponding sides of the bars. 'Ihe plates I8 engage opposed sides of the central slat and the plates 20 and legs I4 engage opposed sides oi the outermost slats, with the result that the slats are interlocked with the support bars against horizontal movement both longitudinally and transversely thereof.

The table top I2 is then laid on the slats II with the hinges 26 resting in the slots 24. The disassembly is, of course, just the reverse of the assembly operation above described.

The entire table is preferably constructed of wood, but of course is not limited to such material. f

The improved table, when assembled as shown, is of maximum sturdiness and will in fact remain so even after a long period of use. Such sturdiness is attributed to the fact that the relatively heavy top I2 will hold the slats I I down in interlocking engagement with the supports I0. The slats li are precluded from horizontal movement on the bars of the supports, and due to the construction of the supports with the diverging legs It, same are of maximum stability.

The improved construction as above disclosed provides a table top which is reversible since the hinge connection is midway of the ends thereof. The construction is such that the table will not warp in the center, and the common experience oi buckling legs is avoided. Furthermore, the legs Ill of the supports I0, as will be noted from Fig. 2, are disposed substantially inwardly of the edges of the table top, thereby providing unobstructed foot room beneath the top.

Number Name Date 226,431 Warner Apr. 18, 1880 v 797,362 Landsman Aug. 15, 1905 944,373 Muller Dec. 28, 1909 1,134,100 Breckenridge Apr. 6, 1915 1,393,679 Forrester Oct. 11, 1921 1,538,393 Fowler May 19, 1925 2,203,780 Gatz June 11, 1940 While I have disclosed the invention in accordance with a single specific embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being dened in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A knock-down recreation table comprising a pair of supports, a plurality of slats, and a table top, each of said supports comprising a horizontally disposed bar, a pair of legs having their upper ends secured to the bar adjacent each end thereof with the bar ends projecting a predetermined distance beyond the upper ends of the legs, each of said slats being of substantial length and having a notch in its lower edge substantially inwardly of each end thereof, the notches being of a width corresponding to that of the bars and receiving the upper edge portions thereof, a pair of plates secured to the bar intermediate the ends thereof and at each side thereof and dening shoulders engageable with opposed sides of a slot, a corresponding plate secured to each end of the bar and at each side thereof and defining with adjacent edges of the legs, shoulders for engaging opposite sides of the outermost slats adjacent the notches therein. 4

2. A table according to claim 1, wherein said slats are each provided with a notch in its upper edge intermediate the ends thereof, and wherein said table top includes a pair of sections having adjacent edges thereof pivotally connected by hinges removably receivable in said notches.

PAUL Y. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

